The Supreme Court has sharply criticised the Election Commission of India for failing to locate video footage of vote counting from the 2023 Karnataka Assembly election in Sringeri constituency. The court has ordered the commission to produce all available material at the next hearing.
A bench of Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice Sanjiv Khanna was hearing a petition arising from the election dispute between Congress leader T.D. Rajegowda and BJP candidate D.N. Jeevaraj. Rajegowda originally won the constituency by a margin of 201 votes.
The dispute intensified after a later recount reportedly gave Jeevaraj more votes and led to Rajegowda being removed from office. The Supreme Court had earlier allowed Rajegowda to continue as a member of the Legislative Assembly while his petition remained pending.
During the latest hearing, the Election Commission said it could not find the video recording of the 2023 counting process. The bench questioned how the election authority could say that its record was unavailable when maintaining election documents is part of its responsibility.
The court also rejected the suggestion that officials were still trying to locate the material. It directed the commission to bring whatever records remained to the next hearing and warned that failure to do so could result in an adverse inference against it.
What records are at issue
The court noted that the Congress legislator wanted access to the observer's report, the original counting material and the video recording of the recent recount. The documents are connected to the process that changed the reported result in the constituency.
Senior counsel Sheshadri Naidu, appearing for the Election Commission, told the bench that the video from 2023 could not be found. The judges did not accept that explanation and insisted that all available material should be presented.
The court fixed the next hearing for 15 February, 2027. Its direction means the commission must account for the material it possesses before the dispute proceeds further.
How the recount changed the dispute
Jeevaraj had earlier filed an election petition in the Karnataka High Court challenging Rajegowda's victory. On 6 April, the High Court ordered a recount of al ballot votes, including a fresh verification of 279 rejected al ballots.
On 3 May, 2026, the returning officer formally declared a revised result. Reports mentioned in the case said Rajegowda's vote total fell by 255 and Jeevaraj was declared the winning candidate.
Rajegowda then challenged the development before the Supreme Court. His petition argues that the High Court had authorised only a review of the 279 rejected al ballots. He alleges that the returning officer instead reconsidered 562 valid al ballots that had supported him.
Rajegowda has also questioned whether the recount should have taken place. His petition refers to findings in his favour concerning corruption allegations made by Jeevaraj.
The source material also states that Jeevaraj faces a criminal case concerning alleged tampering with al ballot papers. The Karnataka High Court stayed proceedings in that case in May. further details about the status of that matter is not yet available.
Conclusion
The Supreme Court has required the Election Commission to produce all available counting records and video material at the next hearing. The court has warned that failure to provide them could affect how it assesses the election dispute.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the Supreme Court hearing?
The case concerns the election dispute between T.D. Rajegowda and D.N. Jeevaraj over the Sringeri Assembly constituency in Karnataka.
Q. What record could the Election Commission not locate?
The commission said it could not find the video recording of vote counting conducted in 2023.
Q. What has the Supreme Court ordered?
The court has directed the Election Commission to present whatever relevant records and video material it has at the next hearing.
Q. When is the next hearing?
The next hearing is scheduled for 15 February, 2027.
Q. What happened in the original election result?
Rajegowda won the 2023 election from Sringeri by 201 votes.
Q. Why was a recount conducted?
The Karnataka High Court ordered a recount of al ballot votes after Jeevaraj challenged Rajegowda's victory.
Q. How many rejected al ballots were to be verified again?
The High Court's order included fresh verification of 279 rejected al ballots.
Q. What does Rajegowda allege about the recount?
He alleges that the returning officer reconsidered 562 valid al ballots, although the High Court had ordered review of the rejected ballots.
